44 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



them. The methods and means, however, are too complicated 

 for discussion here. 



FERTILIZERS. 



Among the modern notions touching fertilizers, may be 

 cited the idea of fertilizing by feeding, of the sale of farm 

 produce with reference to the fertilizing constituents it takes 

 from the farm, and the notion of co-operative buying and home 

 mixing in the purchase of commercial plant food. Fertilizing 

 by feeding means essentially buying or raising such classes of 

 animal food as are rich in fertilizing constituents. Theamimal 

 that is feeding does not take all or even half the fertilizer 

 ingredients from the food. Unless it be a growing animal, or 

 unless the milk is taken from the farm, almost all of the fertil- 

 izing ingredients pass into the manure, and may be, if properly 

 handled, placed upon the land. This is usually the best way 

 of getting nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. One gets two 

 services for one expenditure — buy both food and fertilizer with 

 the same dollar. And, moreover, the fertilizer is for most pur- 

 poses quite as good as much that is bought in other ways. The 

 sale of farm produce with due reference to the fertilizing ingre- 

 dients it contains, is worthy of consideration. A ton of butter 

 takes but a few cents worth of plant food from the farm ; a 

 ton of hay, from five to eight dollars worth. There are plenty 

 of tables published showing the analysis of various farm pro- 

 ducts, and one can study for himself and determine what is 

 wise to sell and what is not. 



Regarding the purchase of commercial fertilizers, it may 

 be said in brief that the ideas broached in this volume under 

 the head of "Home Mixing," by Mr. Brigham, of St. Albans, 

 are entirely sound. Any farmer who now makes a hap-hazard 

 choice of commercial fertilizers writes himself down as either 

 ignorant or careless. If he prefers for any reason, as most peo- 

 ple do, to buy mixed goods, there is no reason why he should 

 buy solely upon the basis of a name and agent's claim. The 

 grade of the various goods sold in the State is thoroughly fixed, 

 and the publications of the experiment station upon this point 

 are sufficiently clear so that " he who runs may read." Buying 

 goods on special order has much to recommend it to those who 

 prefer to buy mixed goods rather than crude stock. Farmers, 

 individually or collectively, get figures from several firms on 

 definite amounts of fertilizers of guaranteed composition 

 made from specified crude stock. They buy of the concern 

 whose bid is lowest and pay for just the amount of plant food 

 delivered as found on analysis by the experiment station. It 

 is an eminently business-like method of purchase, fair to both 

 parties, and one which many manufacturers are willing to adopt. 



